Thai tourism is booming

Thailand has welcomed more than 12 million foreign tourists during the first four months of this year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand announced.

But, surprisingly. Australian visitors do not rank among the top 10. 

  
The TAT said 12,127,447 foreign tourists entered Thailand from January 1 to April 30, an increase of 142.87% from the same period last year.

TAT said the top nationalities s that visited Thailand during the first four months were: 2,351,909 Chinese; 1,569,856 Malaysians; 767,210 Russians; 679,481 South Koreans and 643,587 Indians. 

Then came Laotians, Germans, Britons, Taiwanese and Americans. 

The TAT said it expected some 8.27 million foreign tourist would enter Thailand in the second quarter from April to June and the number of arrivals would rise 29% from the same period of last year.

Crisis of confidence as 171 planes grounded

Anyone who has flown would have been horrified by the images over the weekend of an Air Alaska Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft with a large hole in the side of the fuselage.

The US Federal Aviation Administration grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9 jets after the incident.

The frightening mid-flight incident on an Alaska Airlines flight between Portland, Oregon and Ontario in California.

Shortly after the plane's take-off a fuselage panel including a window blew out. The plane landed safely back at Portland without any injuries.

“The FAA is requiring immediate inspections [of all Max 9 aircraft] before they can return to flight,” FAA administrator Mike Whitaker said. “Safety will continue to drive our decision-making.”

The agency said inspection of each aircraft will take four to eight hours, Travel Mole reported.

There are currently 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets in service - although none of them are flown by Australian or UK carriers.

Video taken aafter the incident showed a large gap where the panel blew out. Passenger oxygen masks were deployed.

The aircraft is just a few months old, having received its certificate of airworthiness in October, 2023.

“My heart goes out to those who were on this flight – I am so sorry for what you experienced,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said. 

Boeing issued a statement regretting the incident’s impact and supporting the FAA’s decision.